The Art Icon: an Interview with Adrian Cheng
Entrepreneur, philanthropist and social innovator Adrian Cheng is rewriting the rules of how to do business in the 21st century... Having recently launched himself into the world of fashion by announcing a collaboration with Maximilian Davis and his brand 1017 ALYX 9SM, Adrian Cheng talks about himself in an exclusive conversation with L'OFFICIEL.
A conversation between ADRIAN CHENG and L'OFFICIEL
Photography ALAN GELATI
Art direction GIAMPIETRO BAUDO
Styling VANESSA BELLUGEON
In a world of corporate disconnection, the life of a high-level executive can seem distant from the average customer. But Adrian Cheng , a Hong Kong entrepreneur, is changing things. Its innovative “shared values” business model focuses on investing in communities to foster a thriving environment for both its company and its customers. Focusing on diverse areas, such as youth mental health and accessibility to arts and cultural programs, Cheng is promoting a new way of earning that improves everyone's bottom line. CEO and third-generation scion of New World Development Company Limited (HXEx 00017) , owner of Rosewood Hong Kong and founder of K11 Group , Cheng is a cultural entrepreneur who operates at the cutting edge of art and commerce and is the heir to one of Asia's most influential business families, boasting a legacy of more than 75 years in Hong Kong . Through his leadership, New World Development successfully launched Victoria Dockside, a $2.6 billion three million square meter cultural district on the waterfront of Hong Kong's iconic Tsim Sha Tsui . A patron of the arts, Cheng has been listed in Art Review 's Power 100 every year between 2014 and 2022, ranking first in Asia and 12th globally. In 2023, he was appointed chairman of the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Committee by the Hong Kong government. In 2017, Cheng became the youngest person in Hong Kong to receive the “Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” from the French government, followed by appointment as “Officier de l'Ordre National du Mérite” in 2022. In this conversation with L'OFFICIEL, Cheng spoke about how his philanthropic and entrepreneurial philosophy can impact the community in Hong Kong and beyond.
LO: What are your inspirations, ideas and plans for the years to come?
ADRIAN CHENG: I think a big thematic paradigm shift will be social innovation and social impact. After Covid, I realised that we are extremely grateful, but also very fragile as human beings. So I started a charity for children's mental health, a philanthropic project that I strongly believe in, especially crucial during the pandemic, when there were many situations that put the children to the test. With WEMP - Wellbeing, EQ, Mental Health, Parenting - we start from Hong Kong and hope to reach Asia and then the world. My aspiration is for it to become global. We try to work with children aged 3 to 16 to relieve stress. We also work with schools and ensure that children's mental health is a factor to be taken into account, especially in schools and among parents. We have created programs that focus on public awareness. We have helped around 10 thousand children, 20 thousand parents and resolved 83 emergency cases - children with traumatic experiences or who have suffered abuse - to ensure they are in good health.
LO: You are known as an innovative person and businessman, an influential philanthropist and an important art collector. What identity do you feel most in tune with?
AC: I consider myself more of a curator of life, a curator of creativity and innovation. We curate everything that belongs to people, creative things, things I can imagine. I am like an orchestra conductor who guides many people to think creatively, both in business and in their normal lives. Because I don't consider myself a creator. I think I put a lot of things together to create a product, but I don't invent one. I bring together all the different elements of life, humanity and people and create something that has a special magic.
LO: Your family has a long history of business success in Hong Kong and globally. How did you combine your entrepreneurial background with your passion for art, culture and fashion?
AC: There is a sense of common values. In business, we reach out to customers and serve them. Customers are the most important thing. Nowadays, our customers are looking for something unique and special that serves both them and the community. Building this community through art, design, creativity and imagination is part of their values. When you combine these things, or find common ground, it becomes a very powerful thing.
LO: Do you think art, fashion and design are all connected?
AC: Everything is created by people. Art, fashion and other mediums of creativity all have different histories and core values, but they are capable of intersecting. Storytelling methods are a little different between disciplines and business is different too, but it's all part of creativity and what you feel, what you embody and what you believe in. It is a message that we want to convey to the world. As a result, everything can be exchanged, which is why you see many exhibitions that mix art, fashion and other design fields.
LO: How do you see the relationship between fashion and art evolving in Hong Kong's future, and what role do you expect to play in shaping this relationship for Hong Kong and more generally?
AC: Fashion and art are interconnected. We believe in art, fashion and creativity for the masses, so how can we decentralize and democratize all these creative spaces so that everyone can access them, not just in museums or art galleries? So that you can savor, enjoy everything every day as you walk down the street having a coffee, appreciating God's work and everything around you. Everything should be for the masses, because the origin of life is creativity. It should be for everyone. I therefore hope that more spaces can be made accessible.
LO: You are known for your commitment to promoting art and cultural heritage in a contemporary way. What inspired you to become such a strong advocate and how has it contributed to the development of art in Hong Kong and beyond?
AC: When you look at everything from business to being human, you need to maintain a sense of values: who you are, what you believe. It is the heart of life. Heritage is something that also embodies the value system of a city. So when you feel like you're preserving this, you're really preserving the root. This is why heritage is very important, especially in Asia, where we need to promote and spread these value systems.
LO: You have stated that you believe in using business as a force for good and are committed to promoting sustainable and socially responsible business practices. How do you balance your business interests with your desire to create a positive social impact? And what are the challenges you faced in doing so?
AC: I believe that when you are involved in an entrepreneurial activity, you have the responsibility to do good, to share the good and create shared value for society. It's not simply about donating money to a charity. The most important thing is to use your own resources, share them with society and create value, perhaps through entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship, for people. They call it “corporate social responsibility”. This is not a responsibility; it's more about sharing your value, your vision and your resources and doing something for society, because your company is also part of that society. Because you can incubate, help other social entrepreneurs and they can do good too. By multiplying everything, you get a compound effect. Often people also create social impact funds or social entrepreneurship funds and earn money at the same time. So, with that money, you can make a profit and reinvest. This is how the multiplier effect is achieved.
LO: What are the challenges of this type of approach?
AC: Sometimes it's very difficult because people only look at profit; some think that creating shared value and sharing resources is just a gimmick. This is not the case. Sometimes resources can be shared in a way that does not sacrifice profit but, in fact, creates a much greater value system in the community that can also win people's hearts and help other people. I think the challenge is finding the right people who understand your new model.
LO: What are your plans for the future?
AC: My team and I spent 10 years redeveloping a new arts and culture district called Victoria Dockside, in Hong Kong. It's like a Silicon Valley of culture and creativity, where we have created an incubation center for over 100 creatives who are part of the project. In the future, I hope this model will be replicated around the world, especially in Asia. I think that after Covid, a childish and pure spirit is essential, because life is already very complicated. Society is very complicated. We need a simple heart.
